My last time almost cost me my left foot. I had just seen the pdoc, and then I got a very bad pain in my left leg. I was not in a position to walk to the nurses desk so I tried the call button and told them what was going on. I was ignored for about two hours before anyone came back. When the doctor and nurse came, the doctor ordered an x-ray for my back. He mentioned a sonogram of my leg but did not push it. The x-ray was taken but that was all. It was not until the night nurse came in did anyone realize that my left foot was cold. A different doctor came in to check it out. Finally 12 hours after the initial pain, I got the sonogram of my leg. Turned out that I had very little circulation in my left foot. A clot had formed in an artery below my knee. I had surgery the next day to remove the clot. Turns out I have lasting nerve and muscle damage in the foot. If the first doctor had taken me seriously, I may have avoided the lasting damage. From what I understand, what happened to me occurs often on a mental unit. We supposedly make things up or are delusional.

What I've found is a culture of denial and exploitation right from the managers down, covering each others' backs when I've taken issues up: things are fabricated, notes written by staff are seen as objective, investigations are completely biased. Then again, I've met matrons and managers who know fully well what's going on and aren't interested in covering the arses of their staff. I've had 50/50 experiences with managers and matrons.

Like a few other people said, (and in the past I felt this more than now because I'm better) if you're diagnosed with a psychotic illness- anything can happen to you, including sexual assault, but it didn't really happen. It's a mind-fuck if you're unsure about what's happening with you and trying to figure out where you stand.

I haven't been sexually assaulted by psychiatric staff or patients but this is why I stay away from my local psych ward and am scared of going there if I was so unwell and at their mercy. I've seen and witnessed things- horrifying to people who cannot look after themselves in any shape or form and was treated like a subhuman/waste of space for knowing what was right for me back in 07 and refusing medication. Most of the trouble I've had was out of the psych ward and in an outpatient or community setting.

It involves night staff. It's pretty widespread from what I hear and not only on psych wards.

They can sleep all night because everyone is sedated/drugged but when they have to do their job they get angry.

Bullying, intimidation of people who are very vulnerable and other staff supporting or being bystanders.

Huge differences between day and night staff.

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ohh the night staff at the psych ward near where i live are bloody AWFUL!

A nurse actually stole an older ladies watch and when she went to report it stolen she saw the nurse had it in her hand and refused to give it back.

The most recent time was with a the doctor who didn't know rights for shit. I asked for a different doctor. 'no that isn't possible' 'but its my rights...' 'no it isn't'.... ya thats just the beginning of it. That doctor was fucked i was glad to be out.

I've also had a nurse accuse me of having a sexual relationship with another patient....WTF LOLOLOLOLOL I wasn't having any kind of relationship thank you very much. But ya as a result she alerted all the staff and doctors to 'keep an eye on me' like wtf.... the whole thing actually sort of amused me to be honest. Like when i look back on it i have to be honest i have to laugh about it like who the hell has a relationship in a psych ward that is messed up.

But ya thats about it.... i haven't witnessed any fights or take downs or anything. I've heard a couple code whites(violent patient) but they were already in seclusion so i never actually saw them i just saw several security guards rushing by to help.